Phil's 2010 Resolutions

Right then, here we go again! We made it to May last year, which was a pretty good effort I thought. Also, I know for a fact that some people were knocking off resolutions throughout the summer as well (congratulations, Phil and Tara!). Rather than rake over my various failures from last year (still no contacts!) I suggest we make a fresh start, and generate some new resolve! Here goes then:

1. Make a Christmas Pudding. I paid $54 for ours this year! Never again.
2. Listen. I have picked up a very bad habit recently- talking fast and lots and not stopping to hear the other (non self-generated) half of the conversation, especially on the phone. I doubt whether other people find this endearing!
   
3. Do What You Can. This is more words to live by than a resolution, but still. It has two meanings - do everything you can (and there is so much to be done!), but also don't try and do more than you can. I came close to meltdown last year, and still (after 32 years) have failed to find the right balance...
4. Have a Leaving Party. Sounds obvious, but I bungled leaving Santa Barbara and do not intend to make the same mistake again.
5. 10 Days Continuous Holiday plus One Weekend in Six Away. I just about managed this last year (and the year before) and do not trust myself to drop it as absorbed just yet... In fact the next few resolutions are also recycled, or resurrected from previous years. It's a marathon not a sprint.
6. Jump Out Of Bed. I had this in 2008 but not 2009, and I have let myself get pretty lazy in the mornings again. No more!
7. Don't Forget A Single Birthday. This is an old one that I thought I had nailed into habit, but I missed a few last year and felt bad as a result.
8. Play 72 holes off 36. I managed just one round of golf last year, despite acquiring clubs. So, my handicap stays the same, and I'll give it another go. Key is to identify some fellow hackers - I have two signed up now, so there's no excuse.
   
9. If You're Going To Work, Work. I did OK on this last year, but again lapsed a little towards the end of the year. Got to earn those beers.
   
10. Advance The Public Understanding Of Science. Outreach is something I believe strongly in, and I have been arguing for it a lot lately. And yet I have not given a public talk for 3 years! It's embarrassing.
11. Keep It Chipper. Well, last year I had "Smile", which was a good one (that I didn't do well enough at, given how easy it is), and mid-summer my friend Hogg suggested the rule "Never Say You're Busy", which turns out to be a very good way of not getting yourself more stressed. So, I shall combine and expand these ideas and attempt to only ever say and do positive things. This will get especially interesting when I get back to the Yookay in October ;-)
12. See More Of America. I can't exactly go home not having seen the Grand Canyon, can I? I'm thinking a road-trip in a rented Prius. Also, the deal with Hogg is that he'll do a remote video-seminar at Stanford if I go visit him in New York on the train, something Ive been talking about doing for years but have never got round to.
13. Do Something New. This was suggested to me as a last minute addition, and while it seems a little banal, I'm not sure how many really new things I did last year. Trapeze, I suppose - but do I currently have plans to something else like this? No. So I'll stick it last on the list and see what opportunities present themselves during the year!

Happy New Year!